After a fast downwind passage from French Polynesia, we sailed into Fijian waters, just under 12 months after setting off from Lymington in the UK. Once we had cleared customs and immigration, met up with cruising friends and enjoyed the hospitality of the Savusavu Yacht Club, we took a moment to reflect on what we’d just done as a family: we’d achieved our dream to sail to the other side of the world.
A few months later and it still feels pretty surreal and very special. We’ve enjoyed 15,000 miles of wild adventures, new friendships, deeply immersive experiences and a proximity to nature few could imagine.
To those looking in, it often seems like this trip has been smooth sailing all the way: an endless procession of tropical island paradises. We’re well aware that besides having made some decent decisions, we’ve been pretty lucky and had some great support from friends near and far, old and new.
We’ve also made more than a few mistakes! The difference with a life like this, though, is that the cost of those mistakes can be huge. All we can do is prepare for each stage as fully as possible, and mitigate the risks through sensible, informed and measured decision-making. Making a positive decision and following through with it is often what matters most.
‘The Panama Canal transit was a clear highlight’
While I can’t claim this voyage is anything other than a great family adventure, among the goals we discussed was the hope that we might inspire a few others to venture a little further, and deepen their appreciation of this changing world we’re so lucky to live in.
EARLY FOUNDATIONS
Many of the decisions we made way back in 2020, when we started looking for the perfect boat for this voyage, still influence us right now. The first point is that there is no perfect boat – irrespective of your budget – but you need to decide on a philosophy to guide your cruising choices. Fast and light or slow and steady? Independent, externally supported, off-grid or on
